


somehow, everything becomes alright when i'm with you

by kairoekki



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Brief mentions of Marlene, Cloud Strife Needs a Hug, Cloud has a panic attack but you comfort him, Cuddles, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Gender-neutral Reader, Hair Washing, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Other, POV Second Person, Post Advent Children, Showering Together but it's NOT Sexual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28948197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kairoekki/pseuds/kairoekki
Summary: Cloud sometimes has trouble remembering the past and his losses, especially when he blames himself. This time, you're there to comfort him.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	somehow, everything becomes alright when i'm with you

The last rays of sun came in through the window and stretched across your back as you wandered the kitchen hunting for an evening snack. Looking up towards the window, you sat to admire the beauty before you. You had always loved sunsets. They gave way to the night, gave you an escape from the ever growing demands of the day. The night allowed you to be yourself. To be free. You loved spending your nights with Cloud. Although he puts on a show of carelessness and indifference during the day as he works, he lets that false identity slip through your fingers as you card through his hair on the nights you lie and talk with each other. Briefly returning to the kitchen from your thoughts, you watched as the sun slowly sank beneath the earth, giving way to dusk and eventually darkness. As your thoughts finally returned to the snacks you had been looking for, you heard a soft noise come from what sounded like the bedroom. 

“Cloud, are you alright?” you called, a tone of concern audible in your voice.

Seconds passed. No answer. Even if he didn’t always talk much, he would usually answer you with something short and to the point for your peace of mind. Worried, you started moving towards the bedroom. You quickened your pace, turning the corners with ease and hopping up the stairs. Now face to face with the bedroom door, you knocked softly. You heard a quiet groan from behind the closed door.

“No...no. I-I didn’t mean to.”

You jiggled the doorknob. It didn’t budge. You knocked on the door again, this time with a heightened sense of urgency.

“Cloud? What’s wrong, are you okay?” you said, nervously playing with the ends of your shirt. Indecipherable sounds were leaving his lips, and you heard rustling sheets from the other side of the door.

“I’m sorry...failed you...all my fault,” Cloud uttered, just loud enough for you to hear.

Concerned that Cloud might be having a nightmare, you tried the doorknob again. When it didn’t budge, you cursed.

“Fuck!” You began to head downstairs to search for a key. “Why did he have to lock the door?”

You frantically began combing through the drawers of the desk in the corner of the living room that the both of you rarely touched in search of the bedroom key. You remembered putting one here months ago just in case Marlene locked herself in the bedroom during hide and seek when she came to visit. After searching the drawers built into the center of the desk next to the shelves lining the back, you searched the small drawer hidden on the right side of the desk. With the press of a button, you heard an audible click and the drawer popped open. The key was there, attached to a small chocobo keychain. You grabbed the key and raced back upstairs, fumbling as you inserted it into the knob and turned. The door swung open, and you finally saw him. He was a mess. The sheets were strewn about the bed, sweat staining both his forehead and the pillows.

Letting your eyes roam his trembling body, you whispered, “Cloud?”

He jerked his head towards you, panic written all over his face. He didn’t say anything, opting to simply stare as you stood in the doorway. Frozen in place, you drank in his form, watching his hands curl into fists and his knees come to his chest. Here, in this bedroom, he seemed so small. The man who had fought Sephiroth and won was reduced to a muttering mess in front of you. Snapping out of your spell, you started to move towards him. He watched as you got closer and closer, following you across the room with his eyes. You finally came to a stop at the side of the bed, watching as he looked up at you. He could see the concern and worry written on your face.

“Oh Cloud,”-you brought your hand to his cheek and grimaced when he flinched- “what’s going on?”

Silence. You looked into his eyes, seeing fear and panic. You swept your gaze to where the corners of his mouth were twitching, down to his trembling hands, and back to his watery eyes. He seemed to be holding something back, but you didn’t want to push him. Cautiously removing your hand from his cheek, you sat down on the bed next to him.

“Do you wanna talk about it Cloud? I’ll listen.”

You placed your hands in your lap, looking to him for an answer. He shook his head no.

“Okay baby, that’s alright.”

You adjusted your position on the bed, bringing your feet up from the floor. He was still staring at you with an intensity that almost made you nervous. Once again, you drank in his form. You started moving to comfort him, and paused.

“Hey Cloud?”

He blinked up at you, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

“May I touch you?”

Cloud hesitated, quickly bringing his eyes away from yours. He hurriedly glanced around the room, clenching and unclenching his jaw. With careful consideration, he brought his eyes back to your gaze and nodded. That was all the confirmation you needed. You shifted in the bed so you were sitting with your back against the headboard, and brought his head into your lap. He tensed at the action, only slightly relaxing when you began to card your fingers through his mussed blond locks. You felt when he finally let the tears fall. There weren’t many, but his entire body shook as the tears slowly stained your pants. You continued to stay with him, running your fingers through his hair.

“I love you,” you whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

At those words, Cloud seemed to find some solace. The tears began to slow, and he was no longer clenching his fists. Slowly, he relaxed his arms and brought them towards your waist before tightly wrapping you in them. You sat like this for a while, appreciating the feeling of his arms on your waist and his head in your lap. He nuzzled into your side, and you pet his head. You really did love him. You had met him back in Nibelheim, his hometown, on his journey to find and defeat Sephiroth. When you first laid your eyes on him, you were immediately struck by his beauty. He was strong and fought with tenacity, part of your initial attraction. You almost fell for him when you saw his eyes for the first time. They were a beautiful ocean blue with flecks of forest green around his pupils, staring at you inquisitively. His gaze melted you like butter, and you could do nothing but stare back. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head towards you, and when you didn’t move, he smirked. Months later, he returned to Nibelheim and you became acquainted. That was three years ago. You felt Cloud shift his head in your lap, bringing you back from your thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” Cloud hummed, slowly turning to look into your eyes.

“You don’t need to apologize Cloud, everything will be okay. You’re human baby, things happen. You’re allowed to feel.”

You looked down to him, a smile forming on your face. You leaned down to kiss his forehead, and he leaned into the gentle touch. You ran your fingers through his hair again before cupping his cheek. You could feel the salty stain of tears on your hands, and you slowly became more aware of the feeling of the tears on your leg. After debating your options for a moment while holding him, you spoke.

“Do you wanna get cleaned up? I can run a shower for us.”

Cloud curled the corners of his mouth upwards, nodding his head.

“Alright baby, I’ll go get the water started. Meet me in the bathroom.”

You slowly brought his head out of your lap and got up off the bed. You hopped in place for a few seconds to get some of the feeling back in your legs before making your way to the connected bathroom across the room. You grabbed two towels from the bathroom cabinets and hung them on hooks before starting the water. You waited for it to get warm, and went to turn on the fan. As you were about to head back to the shower, Cloud walked into the bathroom. You turned to look at him, and slowly moved closer to draw him into a hug. He melted into the embrace, only parting when you started to let go. You curled your fingers into the hem of his shirt, looking up to him in question.

“May I?” you asked, rolling the fabric through your fingers.

Cloud nodded, and you slowly started to bring the shirt over his head. You discarded it on the floor, along with your own shirt. You both continued to undress until all your clothes were strewn across the tile of the bathroom floor. Holding his hand, you stepped into the shower. He followed soon after, letting you have the first of the water. After becoming accustomed to the warmth, you switched him positions so he could feel the water against his skin. He turned around to wet his hair, and looked you in the eyes. He reached down to take your hand and brought it to his cheek before turning his head slightly to kiss your palm. You smiled up at him, watching as he pressed his cheek into your hand. He finally dropped your hand to substitute it for the shampoo bottle, but you grabbed his wrist.

“Let me,” you said with a smile, gazing lovingly into his eyes.

He turned around and allowed you to take the shampoo bottle, watching as you poured a small amount into your hand and brought it to his hair. You began to scrub his head, lathering up the shampoo. You scratched his scalp and brought your fingers through his hair as you distributed the product to the ends of his locks. After you were satisfied with your work, you turned him back to face you. He rinsed his hair and smiled, bending down slightly to press a kiss to your forehead.

“Your turn,” Cloud said softly, grabbing the shampoo bottle.

You turned away from him so he could wash your hair. You heard as he opened the shampoo bottle, squirting some onto his hand. You closed your eyes when he brought his hands to your scalp. You leaned into the touch, allowing him to scrub and comb through your hair. He brought the shampoo to the ends of your hair, and you hummed when he brought his hands back to your scalp.

“Alright, rinse,” Cloud said in an even softer tone than before.  
You obliged his request, switching him positions so you could wash the shampoo out of your hair. After you were satisfied that you had gotten it all out, you looked to him again. You drank him in. He was so beautiful. You wondered how you managed to get this lucky.

Smiling, you said, “I love you Cloud. So very much.”

He smiled back.

“I love you too,” Cloud said, words full of adoration.

Slowly, Cloud reached forward to wrap his arms around your waist. Then, he leaned down and kissed you. You kissed him back with everything you had. You put all the love you felt for him into that kiss. When you both parted, he opened his eyes to see your smile.

“Thank you for earlier. I’m sorry I was such a mess,” Cloud said apologetically, glancing up to meet your gaze.

“Don’t apologize Cloud, it was no trouble. Do you want to talk about it yet?”

Cloud glanced to the floor of the shower before looking back up at you.

“Not yet. Tomorrow maybe. Right now, I just want to be with you.”

You leaned in to kiss his cheek, pulling back to speak again.

“I think we can manage that.”

You stayed with him in the shower until your skin pruned up, just holding him. When the water started to run cold, you reached to turn off the shower. He climbed out first and handed you a towel. You dried off together, before throwing on some pajamas and making your way to the bed. Glancing at the sheets, you decided you’d wash them tomorrow. All you wanted now was to sleep. You clambered into bed with him, curling into his side and resting your head on his chest.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow?” you questioned softly.

“Yeah. Tomorrow,” Cloud answered, carding his fingers through your still damp hair.

You looked up to find his gaze. He leaned forward and your lips met in a chaste kiss.

“Everything is going to be okay, I promise,” you whispered, looking into Cloud’s beautiful blue eyes.

“I know,” he replied. “Somehow, everything becomes alright when I’m with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first ever work here, so let me know what you think! i hope you enjoyed! this was DEFINITELY self indulgent ngl


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